So far, supplies are low but as I get my act together, more will be available. I do take requests (within reason, I cannot do ponies, sadly) as well, so if there's something of mine you know I have made in the past and it's not showing in the store, just message me and if I have it, I can put it in the store for you. If not, I will tell you the turnaround for when said item will be available!

HappyHippoHippityBippityBirdday!!! With extra Bangs!!!! And ice cream! And Dancing! And Cheese! Have so much fun that there's enough leftover for me to feel all the way down here! i love you dearly! *hugglebugglewuggles!*

About Me:What name of mine do you prefer?What is your favourite thing I have written?In your opinion, what's my most destructive habit?And my best one?When's my birthday, and what are you planning to do during it?What is something you'd like to know about me?

About You:How has your day been?If you were stuck on a desert island, with everyone you cared most about, would you ever bother coming home?Tell me something basic about you that I've probably forgotten:What do you want to be when you grow up?What do you do now?When's the last time you had a pie?

About Us:How/when did we meet? Or how/when will we meet?When's the last time we saw each other?Miss me?Is our relationship, whatever it is, doing okay do you think?What kind of dancing should we do?Given a day together, how would you like to spend it?

So, it's Independence Day in the USA. And what am i supposed to be celebrating? My freedom? Ohsure, we aren't under some European regime anymore but us reg'lar folks are most certainly being oppressed by a regime known as our own Government. And Ohsure, i know we are more free than most countries out there, but it feels a bit hypocritical of us to call ourselves a Free Country when if you aren't a White, Rich, Straight, Male, you immediately come under scrutiny for <fillintheblank>. We have Homeland Security (which to this day reeks of Nazism to me), The TSA, and much much more. And i'm supposted to be celebrating this? No thanks.

So! Maker Faire! Packed up kids and W and drove to Raleigh State Fairgrounds. Had no clue where to turn in, turned in Mostly randomly. Drove around looking lost. Stumbled on a loverly parking spot even with a bit a shade right at Gate 1. Walked in looking lost. Wandered around the i guess flea market booths. Finally stumbled on building with big Maker Faire banner hanging on it. Walked in looking a bit lost. Found ticket line. Got tickets. Got in wrong line. Honed in on this before making total asses of ourselves and got in right line. Got hand stamped. Z: I have a blue hand! You have a blue hand, we all have blue hands!" over and over. B: It's loud in here." 2 minutes later, "It's loud in here".

Saw a 3D turtle being printed. Found Green Yarn. Found a booth that said "Write on card what the word "green" makes you think of." Wrote "yarn". Found a booth where a guy was working on making a keyboard with attached software so it could be both portable and affordable. Was so taken by W's playing (he played a bit of Tightrope by ELO, i believe) that he asked him to start again so's he could film him.

Found Fedora booth. Told them we were Ubuntu people. B&Z found a booth where they played a video game on a "console" smaller than a pack of cigarettes. B watched more Combat Robots. Z made rope. Me, B&W lost Z. Split up to find Z. i find Z but then we couldn't find W&B to save our life. Tried to call but phone wasn't working. Not panicking at all, we look outside but too many people out there to parse anything. Went back inside. Shortly afterwards, tackled by B and dragged back outside. They were watching some big ol' balloon being launched. Camera battery died so no video of the actual launch.

Wander back out of the fairgrounds to our car looking a little less lost but considerably more tired.

Went to unmold the soap i made the other day and it totally stuck to the mold and got torn up pretty horribly. Might be able to salvage a couple of bars from a 2lb batch, but most of it is stuff i'd not show outside my own personal soap dish.

Don't even know what caused it either... possibly the oils were a bit on the warm side 'cuase the lye cooled faster than i expected or it was the Way High humidity down in the basement, or it was it 'cause the mold i used (some kind of white nylon plastic? dunno what it is, actually) is really tetchy abuot soap sticking to it and i'm mostly used to my goats milk/lavender EO recipe? Who knows.

Anyway, feeling Discouraged 'cause i wanted to get this batch to people in a Timely Manner and now that's not going to happen. :/

Well, the Transition Ceremony went fabulously, Benjamin survived, and many many pictures were taken, but this is by far my favorite. I might get around to uploading the rest of them but this one i had to share straightaway ^_^

And sure, that's an adorable picture, but it's especially sweet because for the past few years Z has never readily allowed B to hug him and it had turned into a rather intricate game of cat and mouse between the two of them: B trying to get hugs and Z thwarting him. But this evening, when everyone was giving B his congratulatory hugs, Z spontaneously came up to B and gave the above bear hug. It was the Best Present anyone could have given B. And you can just see the joy on his face. ♥ :'D

. o O(and also my mom begged off ostensibly because of the heat, so we were free of her negativity :D)

Finally pushed myself into making soap today. Aside from the funk my brain has been in lately1, the never-ending thunderstorm we had the 27th of May really made a mess of the basement and i had to do at least two rounds of getting it ready for actually making soap.

This batch was a specially requested scent-free one by a couple of people (sort of >.>). Forgot to ask about the goats milk but figured what the heck, it's got a "scent" so i left it out too.

And since i was making it for just 2 people, i made a smaller batch than usual. Man, it's been a long long time since i've made only 2lbs of soap! i've more recently made vegan soap, even. i had forgotten how much more quickly only 12 oz of lye water cools down as opposed to 24oz! Ah, chemistry.

Anyway, it's done and tucked in the cooler for 2 days before the unmolding and i hope it comes out all right. As i said, it's been a while! *crosses fingers*

1: Head's been really wonky; possibly by stupid hormones. Who even knows. And today is particularly bad because this evening is Benjamin's Transition from 5th Grade and whilst i am very excited about that (Yay, Benjamin for surviving elementary school! You Rock!), my mother out of the freaking blue decided that she was my children's grandmother and is going to attend. Oh Goody, something that is socially strenuous for me anyway is going to be made worse by my mother being an asshole in public like she always does. Arg.

Back on May 11, i posted about the cardinal couple who had built a nest outside my window and laid eggs and Momma Bird was doing a good job of taking care of the eggs and Poppa Bird was taking good care of Momma Bird and i was gleeful 'cause there was going to be Baby Birds.

Well, today i confirmed (after having W climb up on the desk and peer into the nest) that the eggs are gone and the nest is abandoned. Somebody got the eggs :( i suspect it was the big black crow i chased away from there the other day. It came back when i wasn't around and got its dinner.

i suppose this is where one would start singing Cycle of Life and all that but it still makes me Sad. :/

Because these things make me giggle, i give you the latest "transcription" of a voicemail message by Google Voice from Some Telemarketer Or Another (Caller ID said "Canada Call" which makes me giggle even harder ;D):

A moment to come to the phone, press 2. If this person is not available, press 3. If you are. Yeah, Sandra call, yes 1. If this person is available but needs a moment to come to the phone, press 2. If this person is not available, press 3. Bye. Please hold while I transfer you to an Account Specialist Give me a king, this is what I mean. I hope you had. Hello. Hello. Yeah, it ohh.

So, there’s this nandina bush outside next to the window where my desk is.. and the other day I saw a male cardinal showing Extreme Interest in it & at first I thought he was just pondering the last remaning berries on the bush, but then I saw he had twigs in his beak and I thought to myself, NEST! And sure enough, the female showed up soon after and in a couple of days they had a loverly nest all made up and today I spied the eggs in there by a series of climbing gymnastics! :D

Ended up having W take the picture, though, ‘cause I’m terrible at such things (and my back is still a bit wonky) so that’s where the credit for the photograph goes! ^_^

As some of you may already know, i have an Etsy site where i wanted to try and sell some of my stuff (soap, lipbalm & yarn items) that i've never quite finished because of Overwhelm and the feeling that there are elements missing from it. So, i ask you, my friends, please go to Harena's Homemade Soap and tell me what you think. If you were going to order something from that site, what would it need to corner your sale? What's Missing? (besides actual items for sale, i am aware of that one :P) What needs removing?

Be honest, i need to get my butt in gear. (Excepting the banner, that's the only thing i won't compromise on)

I’m pretty terrible at pushing such things but I wanted to mention that April is Autism Awareness Month. There are many ways to promote/support awareness, one of which is going to the ASNC Bookstore which currently has a 10% off sale going for the entire month of April.

As many of you know, I’ve been through a lot the past 5 years or so trying to get services for both Josh and Benjamin, so you know that it’s a thing I live with every day. I appreciate any help you all can give to help spread the word, awareness, and empathy for this condition.